i 024767349a4cae9a (27 page)

Oh,

he could see him doing that. And then there the carriage trips; she had watched his mother into Helen's carriage. There was never smoke it fire. No; that woman knew something. And woman knew something, others did, too.

she wished she was at home; she must lie She would get a cab; yes; she must get a cab. took a cab, and when she reached the house ent straight up the stairs, taking her bag with hen, having removed her coat and hat and she lay down on the bed, but not before she obbled half a dozen chocolates, hardly giving F time to swallow one before stuffing another er mouth until her body stiffened and she was i to move hand or foot for quite some time.

Yet, be while, her brain was active, raging around the istances of her life, until at last the spasm in dy relaxed and with it came the tears, and pressleep.

vas some time later when Frances, knocking on the bedroom door, opened it to enquire if istress would like a cup of tea, and seeing her had done a number of times lately, lying fast , her mouth partly open and her lips patterned ier indulgence from the chocolate box, she i the door gently, shaking her head as she it: It would be more satisfying, I should imagshe were to take to the bottle.

out off tonight again to play bridge?"'

ohn turned to his partner and paused for some seconds before he said, "What d'you mean, again?"'

be

ell, you go over there often, don't you, and pl bridge?"'

'tf once a week is often, then yes, I go often."

"Oh! Once a week."

"Ves, once a week. May I ask what you're geti1 at, boctor?"'

Oh! Oh, now, laddie, don't take that tone with l But you see I happen to know Doctor Peters. s lookng after Sir Leonard Spears."

Ves. Yes, he is. And I too happen to know Doct0 Prs, and he is conversant with my visits and ne knovs I'm a friend of the family.

Lady Helen is sister-in-law."

"es. Yes, Lady Helen is your sister-in-law. Bn was just enquiring if you were going over tonight

'Why? Is your leg troubling you again?"'

octor Comwallis turned a flushed and angry P to his partner as he replied tersely, No, my

t hurting me. Nor has my tongue got a sting in i

That surprises me."

[lis swift reply, one which was definitely devoid ahe respect due to him, caused the older mans hy eybrows to strain towards his receding hairi. But apparently he could find no words to combat statemen for, after blowing his nose violently, he ed in his revolving chair and applied himself to was papers on his desk, and John gave a wry smile

s said, Good-night, Doctor." Then, walking into adjacent room where the young Doctor Rees was ting the first patient of the evening surgery, he K towards him, saying quietly, Look out'for alls."

e younger man grinned at John and said 'Like were is it?"'

bar Yes, like that." fWell, that's nothing new." No. but it might be a bit rougher tonight."

Should I put my oilskins on?"' t this, John went out on a low laugh, but it dispeared as he gained the street for inwardly he was Boyed: the old man's words had suggested much e than they had said. Perhaps Doctor Peters had e an innocent remark, because he couldn't imagm being a gossip. He was a very nice fellow her reserved. But the old devil back there always ttwo and one together and made four.

He loved rats of scandal and would concoct his own version mem. Unfortunately, in many cases, he was right nch naturally would have made him surmise he s on to something here. Well, wasn't he? No! No!

The words came in loud denial. If Helen hadn't been Leonard's wife, he would still have liked the mans company, would have sought it, in fact, not only for the patient's comfort but for his own. There was something very calming about Leonard Spears's personality, which came out in his broad views and his understanding of human nature and tolerance. Bust old Comwallis! One of his assets was his ability to put a damper on things. A little stir here and there and you had a topic for spicy conversation...

His mother said, Aren't you going to stay and have a bite to eat? Mrs Atkinson has cooked a nice meal."

'Look, dear" comhe bent over her- "if I stay for dinner it'll be another hour or more before I can leave, And Leonard must get to bed early. But he does enjoy that game. I won't be late. I'll be back about nine."

"Oh, don't you hurry back; Mrs Atkinson's here until ten, and as I've told you before, she doesn't mind staying on."

"She won't need to, I'll be

back." Then, straightening up, he looked hard at her before he said, "Are you lonely? I mean..."

"I know what you mean. No, I'm not lonely any more. You're here at nights, you're here at dinnertime, you're here at tea-time, so how could I be lonely? No; get yourself away. I want you to have a little relaxation."

He nodded at her; then, his voice low, he said,

"We'll have a talk when I come back. Im wondering if we should stay on here; perhaps I should look out for some place else, because...?"'

"No, you won't look for some place else: I've paid

bar Ebr five years; and I lik it here; it suits me. And Jlpu don't mind staying.. *and anyway-" her hands

6 out towards him and she said softly, "It would hurt her more if we md. Here, your being in jjhouse, or at least in a p of it" she can still put "ce on things; but if we ove she'll feel entirely rted.

You know what I ean?"'

yes." He nodded at h "suits me But I just

iWe, don't think for " J think for yourself y0111 have plenty to o, laddie." And she went bar shall him away but he b less-than nt and kissed her, before

Jhen Hannah Worth opd tne oor to him and

'Good-evening, Doct" he answered,

"Gooding, Hannah," then inany turned to look to bar tes disthe drawing-room doo. and in a moumful tone *nah said, "He's been coghing a lot the day, DocAnd the mistress can't S him to stay in bed." unediately he entered the drawing-room John w there could be no bri tbis ight, for the de-oration in Leonard was evident. Hello, Leonard!" he said at have you been up ghting off women." This was hoarse and greater-than and Leonard directed his gaze towards where n and Daisy were stading together. he only g those two can think aout is bed.. .1 thought you e going' comhe was spalng directly to Daisy, and answered in much the 1 tone. "'m going, and I think twice about coining ck."

"Well, before you go, tell John here about your do at the Oswalds."

"I'll do no such thing; I'm off. Don't bother seeing me out, Helen. I'll see you in the morning... Hello, Doctor! and good night."

he same to you Daisy," he answered, and on this she gave a giggle of a laugh and went out.

'Sit down, John," said Helen, drawing a chair nearer to Leonard.

John sat down and asked Leonard quietly,

"What have you been up to? Trying to trot about?"'

"Of course. What do you expect?"' Then turning to Helen, he said, 'Tell John about Daisy's soup business... She does me good, that woman."

"Oh dear me!" said Helen; "I couldn't tell it as she does. Anyway, to cut a very long and funny story as told by Daisy... short: an elderiy couple, called Pratt, from the Midlands, had moved into old Swift's house on the river-it's a lovely place-and of course, Gladys Oswald immediately grabbed at them and invited them to dinner. But, to her horror, the old gentleman slurped his soup-he was apparently holding his spoon the wrong way. Added to this, he told a risque story about one of his mill girls and so caused Ralph Bannister to splutter out his food. It was a disastrous occasion, apparently. But she made the mistake of warning Daisy about them and telling her she meant to pass round this news to her friends.

'It should happen that Daisy had already met the couple and liked them, and she told Gladys so, but she finally put her foot in it by bringing up the dreaded word and asking her how she imagined a leper would eat his soup."

elen held out her hands expressively, saying,

"It n't sound a bit funny, does it, Leonard? but when dislly told it, it was uproarious."

Jlnn's reaction was to say, "You can't imagine snobbery up this end of the country; the people a so open and free," only for Helen to put in eldy, "Oh, John! you know nothing about it. For bar tance, apart from everything else, my father was Btter snob."

n could have put in here, "And his eldest daughtakes after him."

bar bar nerc was silence for a moment; then Leonard said beeaness keep talking about the awful people when we KO-ULD be telling you of the lovely ones. Tell him, len, about the wedding present."

H'Oh, yes; yes," said Helen, now going to the head flie chair-bed and taking Leonard's hand which she disd close to her chest as she said,

"Rosie and Robbie i"...st have thought it strange that we didn't give them jwedding present. Well, you see, the trap wasn't finhed. Leonard had arranged for them to have a pony 'id trap as a wedding present, but Mr Wilson, who 'z making the trap, and is a wonderful craftsma *"...id wheelwright as his people have been for generons, had been confined to bed with a bad bout of j bar SK-MUCHITIS, and wouldn't allow even his son, or his j bar o workmen, to finish it. Anyway, there it was this Jpoming, pulled by a beautiful piebald pony and riven by an absolute radiant couple. You should bar bar greater-than ave seen their faces. Rosie was in tears, and her

12ar bar ough and charming Scot was showing equally warm anotion."

H "Oh, I must go round first thing tomorrow,"

John

said, "But what I am going to do now is to follow Daisy, because the place for you, Sir Leoard Spears, is bed."

Strangely, Leonard made no objection, but he did say, "Would you drop in tomorrow?"'

John was on his feet now and answering, "Yes; but I don't know what time I'll be over."

"Thanks."

The two men looked hard at each other for a moment; then John, putting his hand out towards Helen, said, "Don't move. I can see my way out... Good night."

He was glad to get out of the house, because his throat was full.

At the open barn Henry said, "I'll harness him up again, sir;" and when John said, hanks, Henry," the man said, 'How is the master Doctor? You never get the truth out of Doctor Peters; only the words "as well as can be expected", and not a word out of Johnson."

"Well, the truth is Henry, he's in a bad way."

"Yes. Yes, I thought that. He'll be a miss. Oh, he'll be a miss. I worked for his cousin, you know Sir rederick, for years; and he was a good boss, but he didn't come up to this one. He treats all the staff lik family, he does.

Oh, he will be missed."

Later, as John made for the annexe he thought of Henry's feeling for his employer, and that if at the end of his life a servant of his could give him such a recommendation, he would feel that his living hadn't been altogether self-centred. But he doubted that would happen. He wasn't made in the same mould as Leonard. And every day he could understand more iamore the extent of Helen's love for the man, and him, she did. And her sorrowing would be great. what hope could he hold in that direction, even te had been free of Beatrice? If he was brave Ugh to tell himself the truth, he would have to say, or none.

ie first words his mother uttered when he got in e,

"My! you're back early. Well, how did you find ?"'

Poorly. Going down hill rapidly." Sow long d'you think he's got?"' be was some seconds before he replied, "A few i." oor soul,"

she said. 'Poor soul."

eonard died at half-past three on the Saturday morning. John had seen him this previous evening, but only for a moment because Doctor Peters was with him, as was Johnson. As he stood by the bed he had been unable to speak but he had taken the long white hand in his and held it for a moment. It was then between gasps that Leonard said, "See you...

tomorrow, John," and he had answered, "Yes, Leonard. Yes, I'll pop in tomorrow."

And as he went to release his hold on the hand and move from the bed, Leonard, looking at him with that penetrating gaze, said, "Thanks, John.

Thanks." And John knew that the thanks wasn't referring to his calling on the morrow, but a final goodbye.

He et Helen in the hall, but he fet unable to speak to her, and she spoke no word to him: they exchanged a look, and then he left the house...

But here he was, again standing in the hall, but facing Rosie now. When she said, "He died at halfpast three, he offered no rejoinder, except to ask, 'How is she?"'

: second time Rosie rubbed a handkerchief a face, then gulped before she said, "Calm, calm.

Since Leonard was seen to, she has a-but it isn't wise. And she hasn't shed a be wouldn't cry; there were some pains that immediately be relieved by tears. I to Rosie, 'Tell her I shall call later.".,. call later, and the next day, and the next, ach occasion found he was slightly nony her demeanour, for she seemed fully in of herself. As Rosie said quietly to him, Isn't right. She's acting as if every day was an Ifcary day: giving orders to the servants and seeIthe undertakers and such. It's strange. The solic bar came and said he would see to things, but she ked him and told him she could manage.?...

laeonard was buried two days later and Helen ike the custom that it wasn't suitable for a woman attend her husband's funeral; moreover, she reined standing by the open grave after the others I moved away. But she still remained dry-eyed, Sen of course was remarked upon by the mourn-any people had attended me funeral and a num" had returned to the house, about some of whom by had remarked,

"They'll get short shrift from be they've left their visit a little late."

Et was she who dared to stand in the hallway and e polite messages to those visitors who had earlier

"a afraid to come near the house, using such ases as Lady Spears thanked them for their attendance; but she was sure that they understood she now wanted to be alone. Only one lady dared to press her right to see the bereaved, and to her Daisy spoke more than plainly. Leading her firmly to the door, she pressed her through and onto the step, saying frankly, Claire, you're years too late. She doesn't want to see you now or at any other time. Am I making myself plain?"' And that lady had rejoined "Yes, as plain as your face," and, comforting herself that she had had the last word, she marched away to her carriage.